Community Outreach Specialist

Type of Staff Position: Staff Time-Limited (STL)

Basis: 12 months

Job Search Category: Other

About University of South Carolina:

From the Upstate to the Lowcountry, the University of South Carolina system is transforming the lives of South Carolinians through the impact of our eight institutions and 20 locations throughout the state. More than 50,000 students are enrolled at one of eight institutions, including the research campus in Columbia and comprehensive four-year universities in Aiken, Upstate and Beaufort. In addition, our Palmetto College campuses in Salkehatchie, Union, Lancaster and Sumter enable students to earn associate or bachelor’s degrees through a combination of in-person, online or blended learning. All of our system institutions place strong emphasis on service — helping to build healthier, more educated communities in South Carolina and beyond.

South Carolina Retirement: Yes

State Insurance Programs: Yes

Annual Leave: Yes

Sick Leave: Yes

Advertised Job Summary:

The Community Outreach Specialist will provide support for the implementation of community-based nutrition education programming in Richland County and throughout the Midlands region and will also serve to strengthen FoodShare’s outreach to local communities and the teaching kitchen community of practice in South Carolina. Demonstrates commitment to conducting business lawfully and ethically by consistently adhering to compliance policies, procedures and regulations. This position is established in support of expanded research activities.

Job Related Minimum Required Education and Experience:

• Requires a bachelor’s degree in a job related field and 1 or more years of job related experience, which may be substituted by an equivalent combination of job related certification, training, education, and/or experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Program management experience in a community-based, educational, and/or population health setting.
• Food service experience in a commercial, institutional, or other setting requiring adherence to SCDA Regulation 61-25 for retail food establishments.
• ServSafe Food Handler or Food Protection Manager certification.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Must be proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint and possess strong organizational, written, and verbal skills, including attention to detail and a proactive/strategic approach to daily tasks; willingness to work in a dynamic environment and team setting; is a strong public speaker with community engagement skills.
• Required to conduct business lawfully and ethically by consistently adhering to compliance policies, procedures and regulations.

Job Duty:

Supports the implementation of community-based nutrition and culinary educational programming:

• Supports the development of community-based teaching kitchen programming using evidence-based curricula.
• Engages with community partners to promote programs and recruit participants.
• Supports training and administration of program facilitators in program implementation, ServSafe, kitchen and food safety, and FoodShare’s mission and values.
• Coordinates program scheduling and implementation.
• Manages and reconciles procurement of food and supplies for community classes.
• Leads cooking demos at partner sites in Richland & Lexington counties.
• Contributes to the development of community programming expansion pilot across the FoodShare hub network.

Essential Function: Yes

Percentage of Time: 40

Job Duty:

Implements nutrition education programs and initiatives for Richland County FoodShare Hub:

• Sources recipes for recipe card(s) (Gordon to continue to handle formatting and printing).
• Leads Richland hub recipe sampling program.
• Monitors and enforces safe food handling practices for Richland Hub staff.
• Supports hub management with procurement of warehouse supplies.
• Administers ServSafe Food Handler training and certification for Richland staff.

Essential Function: Yes

Percentage of Time: 15

Job Duty:

Oversees teaching kitchen operations and maintenance:

• Recruits and manages volunteers for kitchen activities including, but not limited to, recipe development, sample production and distribution, and program assistance.
• Daily cleaning and maintenance duties as needed/directed.
• Tracks inventory of food, supplies, and equipment.
• Maintains documentation related to safety protocols and procedures.
• Observes and enforces kitchen policies and procedures for all kitchen activities.
• Builds and maintains relationships with vendors and service providers.

Essential Function: Yes

Percentage of Time: 15

Job Duty:

Supports the statewide FoodShare hub network in nutrition education training and best practices:

• Creates and manages the recipe database in Google Drive.
• Trains hubs in recipe sourcing and in utilizing the recipe language guide appropriately.
• Supports hub network with cooking demo facilitation and training when available.
• Supports hub Program Managers with ServSafe Food Handler training and certification.

Essential Function: Yes

Percentage of Time: 10

Job Duty:

Supports student-led community initiatives and promote FoodShare activities at the USC/School of Medicine:

• Supports procurement of food and supplies for School of Medicine programming.
• Assists with teaching kitchen programming as needed.
• Gives presentations about FoodShare as needed.
• Engages with and supports community-oriented student initiatives.

Essential Function: Yes

Percentage of Time: 10

Job Duty:

Provides additional support to Culinary Medicine:

• Engages with nutrition- and community-related coalitions and advisory committees.
• Participates in state and national conferences pertaining to nutrition, culinary medicine, and public health.
• Contributes to grant research and identify funding opportunities to support community programming.
• Contributes to discussions related to community program strategy and expansion. Support with management of interns.

Essential Function: Yes

Percentage of Time: 10

Hazardous weather category: Non-Essential

Employees in Safety-Sensitive or Security-Sensitive positions will be subject to pre-employment and post-employment drug testing in accordance with University policy HR 1.95 Drug and Alcohol Testing: No

Number of Vacancies: 1

Job Open Date: 09/23/2026

Job Close Date: 10/23/2026

Open Until Filled: No

Special Instructions to Applicant:

Positions are advertised for a minimum of five (5) business days on our job website. After five (5) business days, positions can be closed at the discretion of the department at any time. This employment site is updated on a regular basis. The length of the recruitment and screening process may vary from position to position, depending upon a variety of factors. Should review of your qualifications result in a decision to pursue your candidacy, you will be contacted by phone or email. We are only accepting applications submitted by October 23, 2026.

Quicklink for Posting: https://uscjobs.sc.edu/postings/213478

EEO Statement:

The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in employment opportunities or decisions for qualified persons on the basis of age, ancestry, citizenship status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, military status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other protected category under applicable law.